Two 90s Horror Movies Were Major Inspirations for ‘Sinners’ According to Director Ryan Coogler

Sinners is the highest-rated horror movie of 2025 (so far). It follows twin brothers (both played by Michael B. Jordan) who return to their hometown in the 1930’s South to open up a juke joint. Along with their friends, cousin Sammy (Miles Caton), employees and guests, the twins face real and supernatural obstacles on the night of their grand opening. Written, directed and produced by Ryan Coogler, Sinners has become a critical and commercial success. It is currently the fifth highest-grossing movie of the year.

In a letter thanking fans for making Sinners a success, Coogler gave credit to his ancestors along with over 40 of his cinematic influences including horror icons John Carpenter, David Cronenberg, Wes Craven and Jordan Peele. He also thanked Stephen King, and has said that ‘Salem’s Lot inspired his approach to Sinners: “Salem’s Lot is about the town. Not to give too much up [but] this movie’s about this community.”

Also thanked was Robert Rodriguez, the director of Coogler’s two favorite 90s horror movies. If you’ve seen Sinners, it might be easy to guess which two films he’s referring to. For instance, did the scene where the characters in Sinners test each other by eating pickled garlic seem familiar to you? Here’s where Coogler’s inspiration came from:

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Synopsis: After a bank robbery, two brothers make an ill-fated stop at a Mexican strip club to meet up with a fixer who promised them safety.

It’s easy to see how From Dusk Till Dawn inspired Sinners. Both films follow brothers and feature the sudden introduction of vampires at a lively dive bar about halfway through the movie. Both even have a vampire siege. Where the films differ is that Sinners is a drama in tone while From Dusk Till Dawn feels closer to an action comedy.

The Faculty (1998)

Synopsis: A motley crew of teenagers at small town high school discover that parasitic aliens are controlling their teachers and classmates.

One particular scene that clearly references The Faculty (which itself was referencing The Thing) is when the group inside the juke joint stand in a circle and each person consumes a piece of pickled garlic to prove that they are not a vampire.

Coogler said that Sinners is “quite close to” The Faculty. While there are no vampires in The Faculty, the parasitic aliens takeover their hosts in a way that is not far from how the characters act after becoming vampires in Sinners. The way both groups extoll the benefits of giving in to the invading force is both creepy and tempting. Both films also take place in small towns in the South where the social fabric of the community is almost a character itself.

Further reading:

• 7 Siege Horror Movies to Watch if You Loved ‘Sinners’
• 7 Horror Movies to Watch Next if You Loved ‘Sinners’